A: There has been some speculation that this onboard memory could be used in conjunction with the Wii-mote's internal speaker. However, more recently confirmed that the memory would store gamer profiles, including Mii Channel character creations - up to eight in all. The Big N is hoping that gamers' Wii-motes take on an identity of their own and that users will want to take their remote with them when they go to a friend's house, where their personal profiles can be loaded.

Q: There is a mysterious flap on the front of the Wii console. What's behind it?

A: This used to be the subject of rampant speculation, but nowadays we know that the Wii's front flap doesn't hide any top secret projectors or lasers. Rather, it holds one SD card bay and a synchro button, which users press simultaneously with a synchro button on the Wii-mote to synch console with controller.

Q: What's on the back of the console?

A: Why not see for yourself? We've included a picture of Wii's back panel on the first page of our FAQ article. Or, you can click here. But if you must know, there are two USB 2.0 ports (top), a multi-audio/video port (middle), a sensor bar slot (middle), and a power plug (bottom). The multi-audio/video port is proprietary and therefore traditional S-video, composite and component cables are not compatible. In addition, an internal fan can be seen through a mid-level venting system located on the back of the unit.

Q: Is the Wii a region-free system? In other words, can the console play games from America and Japan without limitations?

A: No. Nintendo of America mistakenly stated that Wii games were region free, but the subsidiary has since corrected itself. Wii games - both internally developed and from third parties - will include region locks that prevent American users from playing Japanese imports on their system, and vice versa, according to Nintendo.

Q: Is the Wii backward compatible with GameCube?

A: Yes. It's fully backward compatible, meaning that it will play every GameCube title ever created. You can even use GameCube controllers with the machine.

Q: How can you use GCN controllers with Wii?

A: The console features what we're calling a GameCube docking station. When Wii is standing vertically, the GCN docking station is located at the top of the unit. A flap opens to reveal four GameCube controller ports and two GCN Memory Pak slots. Players simply plug in their GameCube controllers and Memory Paks and they are fully compatible with GCN games on Wii.

Q: Is it possible to use a GCN controller to play Wii games? What about vice versa?

A: There is still some confusion about whether or not this is possible. Masahiro Sakurai, director of the forthcoming Wii fighter Super Smash Bros. Brawl, said that the game would be playable only with a GameCube controller - not a Wii-mote. (The title will very likely also, if not solely make use of Wii's classic controller.) However, Nintendo executives have repeatedly stated that GCN controllers will be incompatible with Wii games. Backing the latter up is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, whose Wii version is only compatible with the Wii-mote and whose GCN build is only compatible with the GCN controller.

Q: Does Wii play DVD movies?

A: No. Initially, Nintendo announced that Wii would, by way of a "self-contained" add-on, be able to play DVD movies. However, the company has since reneged on the promise. According to company executives, the need for a DVD-movie player is unnecessary in a current market where everybody already owns a DVD player. The Big N chose to nix the feature both because it was redundant and to cut down on the system's manufacturing costs.

Q: How fast is Wii's disc drive?

A: Exact specifications are unavailable at this time. However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said on the record that with Wii the company wants to cut away load times. Meanwhile, developers working on Wii assert that load times are incredibly quick - much faster than GameCube.

Q: What is the Wii sensor bar and how does it work?

A: The Wii sensor bar is a tiny bar that is place on or near a user's television. The bar features a 10-foot wire that connects to a sensor bar slot located on the back of the Wii console. Players point the Wii-mote at the sensor bar, which interprets data and transmits it to the Wii console.

The sensor bar is only necessary for applications and games that require pixel perfect accuracy. Examples include the Wii Channel menu system, whose icons are browsed with the Wii-mote pointer, and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, whose on-screen targeting reticule is manipulated with the Wii-mote.

In contrast, a game like Excite Truck, which operates using only accelerometer-based pitch and tilt data, could be played without the Wii sensor bar.

Q: Some light-gun-style games aren't compatible with certain television types. Will the same be true of the Wii-mote?

A: No. Unlike light gun technology, the Wii-mote never interacts directly with a television. Instead, its accelerometer-based motions are transferred directly to the Wii console and any movement that requires pixel perfect accuracy is handled by the sensor bar, which in turn transmits the data to the system. Although the on-screen action seems to indicate that players are, say, directly pointing the Wii-mote at their television, this is never actually true - it's merely being simulated. As a result, any television type, including CRT, LCD, DLP, plasma, and even projectors, are fully compatible with the Wii remote. Nor does screen size matter. Gamers are free to use a 27" CRT or a 110" projector screen and it'll make no difference.

Q: Can Wii connect online?

A: Yes. Wii features built-in 802.11b/g wireless connectivity. The system will be able to connect online from the day it debuts. Nintendo's Wii Channels user interface utilizes the Big N's Wi-Fi Connection and WiiConnect24 services to stay online all day and all night - even when the console is technically off; it actually goes into a "sleep" mode, according to Nintendo. Using the services, Wii News and Forecast Channels are constantly updated with the most recent data. Users will also be able to connect to the Wii Shopping Channel to buy classic Virtual Console games. Wii owners can also access the Wii Message Board to send e-mail and photos to friends.

Wii owners will, beginning with debut of Pokemon Battle in Japan, be able to use Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to play online against friends and foes. However, no Wii launch games will support Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for an online play mode. The majority of online Wii games will arrive in 2007 and beyond.

Q: Can Wii play MP3 music files?

A: Yes. MP3s can be accessed from an SD memory card. The Wii Photo Channel can then integrate music MP3s into its slideshow photo viewing. It is currently unknown whether or not MP3 music can be stored on Wii's 512 megabytes of internal flash memory.

This is only the first of many updates to our Wii FAQ. More updates to our Q&A section will follow later this week. So if you've still got a question, send it in and we'll do our best to answer it.